Our Sweet "Heart": Mondays

Monday, April 12, 2010

Mondays

Today we saw the pediatrician, the occupational therapist and spent 4 hours at the ER.

What a way to start the week!

Don't worry, everyone is okay. Just the usual Maddox drama. This kid just doesn't get enough attention apparently.

I'll try to provide more details of the past couple of weeks soon...hopefully.

Hope your monday was swell.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2 comments:

Zach 'n' JackApril 12, 2010 at 10:01 PM
couldn't but help thinking about you tons while I was in the hospital last weekend with Kyler. I didn't even get but a miniscule glance of what you go through all the time; gained a newfound love and appreciation of you and your amazing faith. I love you Alissa and hope that things get on a more even keel for you xoxoxo
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thepainterfamilyApril 14, 2010 at 1:54 PM
well shoot. That's not a fun monday, I hope its turned around for you. I am eager to hear the update!

As always, you are a BABE will all capitals!!
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Maddox Revere Dixon

Welcome to our story of modern day miracles. We have seen first hand the wonders of our Heavenly Father and have been joined with people all over in earnest prayer for a baby boy... our Miracle Maddox.

Maddox was diagnosed prenatally with Aortic Stenosis and Mitral Regurgitation. We found out at 27 weeks gestational age that he had a congenital heart defect. By 29 weeks he was in heart failure and had developed hydrops(fluid under the skin, in his abdomen, and around his heart). The plan was to deliver him at 30 weeks via c-section and after birth attempt to get him stable enough to try to open up his aortic valve. We were also given the option of doing nothing and delivering vaginally once he had passed away, which they thought would be soon. The doctors gave him a less than 1% chance of survival if we tried to intervene. We started planning his funeral. The week we were scheduled to have the c-section we were given the option of flying out to Boston to do a fetal intervention where they would essentially operate on Maddox in the womb. The doctors in Boston weren't even sure that Maddox would be alive once we got off the plane. Two days later we had the fetal intervention where they ballooned open the aortic valve, put a stent in the atrial septum as well as a hole above the stent, and removed some of the fluid in Maddox's belly. Maddox was the 9th baby with his unique heart condition to have undergone this type of intervention. It was successful, and Maddox was delivered at 37 weeks in Boston, where he underwent open heart surgery at 3 weeks of age. At two months of age Maddox came home to Texas. We are now trying to adjust to the new normal: multiple weekly doctors' visits, g-tube feeds, medications administered throughout the day, insurance claims, and including our three other children in the care of their amazing little brother. What an adventure. More surgery is in the Mad-man's future, but he has a future, and for that we will be forever grateful.